


Is This Love?

by MushFund



Series: Alternate Universes [2]
Category: Breaking Bad
Genre: Comfort, F/M, Falling In Love, Older Man/Younger Woman, Self-Insert, lots of fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:28:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28324584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MushFund/pseuds/MushFund
Summary: An AU in which Walter White makes the difficult decision to leave Skyler. Now left alone and struggling with his shattered relationships, he finds solace in one woman.
Relationships: Walter White/Original Female Character
Series: Alternate Universes [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2025887
Comments: 8
Kudos: 6





	1. Meeting

**Author's Note:**

  * For [smolnari](https://archiveofourown.org/users/smolnari/gifts).



> Thank you so much to smolnari for requesting this! I normally don't take requests but your ideas were too wonderful to be ignored. I've had a lot of fun chatting with you, so I hope you enjoy this, and Merry Christmeth!

The day had started off as any other for Nari, with her rising early and heading off to her job at the local hardware and appliance store. It had proven to be a busy day, especially since it wasn’t a weekend. As many people passed by, with various items and small talk being spewed about, she couldn’t help but feel as her heart began to race as she saw one particular fellow approach.

Nari had spotted him earlier as he walked in, and noted that he was quite handsome. She smiled at him, making eye contact, and he had grinned back, yet carried on with his business. It was certainly a perk of the day that she got to see him again.

“Hello!”, she greeted cheerily as he placed his items, in this case, a tankless water heater and all its fixings, on the counter, “Did you find everything okay, sir?”

“I most certainly did.”, he replied, “I’ve heard these are the best you can buy.”

“Oh, certainly. These water heaters are top of the line, definitely good sellers.”, she rang up the items and gave the total, “Do you need any help installing these?”

“No, I’ll be doing it myself.” the dashing middle-aged fellow set an impressive amount of cash upon the counter. Nari was in awe as she counted it up and placed it into the register, not that she was one to care about financial matters.

“That’s interesting.”, she nodded approvingly, “I don’t see too many guys installing things themselves these days.”

“Really?”, he mused with a chuckle, “I guess I’m just an outlier. It’ll be a nice little project, and I know for sure my family will appreciate taking a shower in water that isn’t red.”

Nari suppressed a slight frown, glancing at his hand upon the counter. Indeed, he wore a wedding ring. Sure, most older men were married, but it was rather disheartening to see he was taken - not that she imagined it possible for them to begin some whirlwind romance after meeting at a hardware store like in the movies.

“I’m sure.”, she forced a grin, handing him his receipt and his purchases, “Have a nice day.”

“You, too.” the man lingered for a moment before walking out, his eyes catching the light in a heart-melting fashion.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After a thoroughly busy workday, Nari ended her shift and went home to her apartment. It was small, but incredibly cozy, set up all to her liking. She was instantly greeted by one of her fine feline compatriots rubbing against her pant leg, leaving a trail of fluffy white hair in its wake and meowing frequently.

“Hey, Squeak!”, she rubbed the vocal feline’s head tenderly, “Let’s get you some food, huh?”

She opened a myriad of cans of food for each of her furry friends, to which they eagerly congregated by their bowls and delicately ate the moist mincemeat. She then began to prepare a dinner of ramen for herself, cuddling up in front of the T.V. on the couch with her pets at her side. While it was a peaceful evening, her mind kept drifting to the man she had met earlier. The way he had looked at her, lingering some, made her chest twinge with happiness. It wasn't in a dirty way like some men who stared - just endearing. Nonetheless, she felt sad to know she likely wouldn’t see him again - not that he’d ever be interested. Certainly there were other guys that would come around, right? Snuggling her kitties close, she sighed before turning off the T.V. and heading to bed, knowing another long workday lie ahead tomorrow.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next day at work was usual, if somewhat slow. The hours drifted by and Nari began to get somewhat tired, beginning to drift off into a daydream.

_Clunk!_

Her thoughts were jarred as she rose her head up quickly, glancing around to find a pile of products dumped upon the counter. Briefly scanning them over, she found it was a tankless water heater and its accessories. Her heart raced as she looked upwards to see the man from yesterday! What a dream come true! Maybe life was more like the movies than she had anticipated.

“Hey, again!”, she smiled sweetly, “Is everything okay with the products? Did they not work right?”

“I never really got a chance to find out, to be honest.”, the man sighed, seeming downtrodden, “Something came up, I’m not going to be able to install it. I’d, uh, like to return it.”

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.”, Nari took his receipt and set the items away, “Is everything alright?”

She regret saying those words in that moment. She hardly knew this man, and it was perhaps too personal. Nonetheless, he looked sad, although she was mentally cursing her oft too kind nature.

“Not really.”, the fellow took off his glasses momentarily to rub his eyes, “My life’s gone to shit. I’ve left my wife and my son hates me.”

Nari noticed that the man’s eyes were damp and shiny with tears, which made her feel even worse.

“I’m so sorry.”, she instinctively reached out to take hold of his hand without any further thought or doubt, “That’s awful.”

“No, uh, I’m the one that should be sorry.”, he stuttered out, wiping his eyes with the thumb of his free hand, “I’m sure you didn’t need to hear about my personal life. You’re just trying to do your job. I didn’t mean to spring all of that on you.”

“It’s fine.”, Nari soothed, stroking his hand gently, “It’s healthy to vent. I’m here to listen.”

The fellow smiled, but soon grimaced as he heard a grumpy throat clear rumbling behind him. It seemed a line had begun to form. 

“I’m holding you up, I’m sorry, uh...”, he raised his hands in the air apologetically, glancing at her name tag, “Nari. That’s a beautiful name.”

“Thank you.”, she giggled, blushing, pulling a blank receipt out and a pen, scribbling upon it, “We can talk later, if you’d like. This is my number. Feel free to call anytime, I get off at five.”

The man took the thin slip of paper, holding it up as if it were a trophy, grinning broadly. “Thank you.”, he nodded appreciatively.”

“Not a problem, Mr…?” Nari’s voice trailed off.

“Walter. Walter White.” he waved as he left the store. Nari returned the motion as she rang up the next customer, excitement brimming within her. The next few hours went by far too slow for her liking, but she eventually got home and hurriedly sat on the couch beside the phone, awaiting his call. It was only a little after five when it rang.

“Hello!”, she greeted happily, “I’m glad you decided to call after all.”

“Why wouldn’t I?”, Walter chuckled, “Your offer was too kind to refuse.”

“Well, I just felt bad for you, that’s all. That’s a tough situation to be in. I mean, I’m no therapist, but it’s the least I can do to help. How’re you feeling now?”

“I’ve been better.”, he admitted, “It’s just, y’know, hard to get used to being alone. I know it’s for the better, at least, that’s what I’m telling myself.”

“I know the feeling.”, Nari settled into her seat, putting a pillow behind her back and allowing one of her many kitties, Bean, to snuggle upon her lap, “You have to do what’s right for you sometimes. There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

“You’re right.”, Walter sounded hesitant nonetheless, “I’m going to try to relax. The bed at this place doesn’t look too shabby, if a bit…”, he paused to presumably press down upon the mattress with one hand, “Hard.”

“What place?” Nari inquired, concerned. Hopefully he wasn’t staying in some sort of flop house or crack den!

“A Holiday Inn.”

Oh. Phew. It was better than she had been expecting from his tone of voice, but he deserved better. An idea popped into her mind in that instant - yet it seemed too foreign to suggest. She had never propositioned a man in such a way, especially one she hardly knew. Nevertheless, it was worth a try. The worst he could say was no, right? Hopefully he wouldn’t think she was creepy. Her heart raced and her stomach flipped as she opened her mouth to speak.

“Um, maybe you could stay at my place? I’ve got a couch that folds out into a bed. It’s more comfortable than it sounds, I promise.”

There was silence on the other line. Nari’s heart sank. The moments of quiet passed in a rarely felt agony. And then he spoke.

“I, wow, that’s so kind of you.”, he seemed to be in disbelief, “You’re really too nice. But I wouldn’t want to be a burden.”

“You wouldn’t be. I’m offering. I wouldn’t have suggested it if I had felt you’d become a hindrance, Walter.”

“Well, it seems you’ve made an offer I can’t refuse. If it’s alright, I can be over there tonight.”

“Of course. Have you got a pen and paper? I’ll give you my address and some directions.”

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After their phone call, Nari waited nervously for Walter’s arrival. She paced back and forth in the living room, wondering when that door bell would ring and repeating the seemingly endless list of things that could go wrong in her mind. What if he was dangerous? Even if he looked mild-mannered and friendly… and handsome. What if he became a freeloader and claimed squatter’s rights? What if he was allergic to cats?!

_Ding-dong!_

The young woman raced to the door, taking a deep breath to steel her nerves as she opened it, revealing a smiling Walter holding a cardboard box stuffed full of his belongings.

“Hey.”, she greeted, anxiety somewhat visible, “That was fast. Uh, do you have everything?”

“I believe so.”, Walter lifted up the box demonstratively, “I couldn’t fit much in, so I just took the basics. I’m not high maintenance.”

“That’s good.”, Nari giggled, “Well, come on in. I have your bed ready, I’m sure you must be tired.”

“I am.” Walter admitted with a yawn, following his newfound friend further into the apartment, where he was greeted by the sight of a cozily made couch-bed, complete with a little night stand and everything. It was more homelike than he had been expecting, especially considering they didn’t know one another well.

“Do you like it?” Nari questioned, staring up at the man. He was much taller than her, so she had quite a lot of craning to do to make eye contact.

“I love it!”, he admitted with a wide grin, “This is so cozy. You’ve really outdone yourself, Nari. Thank you so much.”

“It was no problem.”, the lady shrugged, “Make yourself at home. And don’t hesitate to let me know if you need anything, I’ll probably be up for a while.”

“Alright.”, Walter had set his box down upon the floor beside the bed and sat down upon the mattress when he was suddenly greeted by a leaping tabby, “Oh! Who’s this?”

“That’s Cloe.”, Nari gave her pet an ear scratch, “She’s just very curious. Friendly, though.”

“Hello, Cloe.”, Walter spoke softly as he rubbed the feline’s silky cheek, only to look down and see another cat taking stock of the scene from afar, “How many cats do you have?”

“Four.”, Nari answered, “That doesn’t bother you, right?”

“Not at all. They’re cute.”, Walter gushed, “I can only hope they don’t mind me being in their territory!”

“They’ll get used to you.”, the young woman assured, “Well, I’m going to be off to bed… so, good night for now, Mr. White.”

“Good night, Nari.” Walter smiled as he lay back on the bed, fluffing up the provided pillows and getting under the blanket, watching as Nari left the room quite fondly. Glancing at Cloe curled up at his side, he let out a small sigh of contentment, although his mind was racing. How could he have already fallen in love? No, it wasn’t love, maybe just attraction. He hardly knew the girl! And yet, she was so kind, so caring - something that lately he had been lacking from Skyler. As nice as it was to be treated so well, he still had a whole world of concerns - both domestic and criminal - to ponder. He would have to tell the truth one day, were their relationship to progress. How was she to know she was harboring a meth kingpin in her own apartment? Was she now an accomplice? And what if his cancer came back? These questions all typically darted about his head at night, and yet, they never got easier to quell. Nonetheless, as he cuddled up beneath the blankets and closed his eyes, however, he figured that quelling could be done tomorrow!


	2. Cooks and Conundrums

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Walter reflects on his changing life. Also, Jesse appears and offers his infinite wisdom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year to everyone! I hope everyone's holding up well and many blessings come your way in 2021.

Walter awoke with a jolt, senses overwhelmed with unfamiliarity. His chest heaved as he propped his lying form upon two hands to survey his surroundings, the memories of the previous night returning to his mind and gradually dispelling his primitive fears. These primal anxieties were in turn displaced by a warm fondness as stirrings in the kitchen brought him to recall the kind hearted girl that had brought him in. Nonetheless, a perpetual guilt lingered in the back of his mind. Something about the situation felt wrong - he couldn’t place his finger on it, but it was nevertheless bringing about much malaise into an otherwise ideal arrangement.

He got up, with a yawn and stretch, glancing down to realize he had been so harried last night he’d slept in his clothes. Oops. Shrugging the abnormal behavior off, he cautiously entered the kitchen, still rather unfamiliar with his friendly host. He hesitantly looked forth, to find her in cat pajamas at the counter (was everything in this household cat themed?), shuffling about. The smell of bacon and eggs were in the air - quite welcoming.

“Good morning.” he greeted, taking a seat at the small table, where a plate setting had already been made for him - with silverware and napkins proper.

“Good morning, sleepyhead.”, Nari giggled, scraping some scrambled eggs and bacon onto his plate from a pan, “I hope you like eggs and bacon.”

“I do, it’s one of my favorites, actually.”, Walter smiled, beginning to eat, “You already know me well.”

“What can I say, I’m a mind reader.”, Nari jested, “Did you sleep okay? I know it’s not ideal, but hopefully it was more comfortable than a hotel room, huh?”

“Definitely. I didn’t mind the company, either.”, the man nodded over at Cloe, who was now strolling about in the kitchen, pausing to take a bite of the eggs, “You’re a very good cook. This is certainly better than a hotel breakfast.”

“Aww, you’re too kind.”, Nari blushed, “I’m just glad you like them. I’ve got to get to work in around an hour, will you be okay here?”

“Yeah, I’ve got nothing to do.”, the man blurted out without much thought, as he most certainly did have things to do, “I’ll be fine.”

“Okay, good. But if you do have to go out, I’m leaving a spare key on the table by the front door. I’m going to stop by the grocery store, too, after my shift ends, do you want me to get you anything?”

“Oh, no, I’m fine. Thank you, though.” Walter answered somewhat absent-mindedly as he mentally scavenged over his plans for the day. He was slated to meet with Jesse - a meeting he didn’t want to miss for fear of drawing more of the young man’s ire. His relationships were already in shambles as it was. What remained was something to cling to, like a solitary log amidst a racing river.

He watched as Nari got up, glancing at the Kit-Cat clock on the wall and taking their now-empty plates, to which he murmured his thanks. He observed in silence as she fed her pets, strictly to routine, then left him alone by vanishing into her bedroom. He remained sitting, glaring down at the tiled kitchen floor, thoughts rapidly overtaking his mind.

“Are you alright?” Nari’s bright voice interrupted his stream of negative consciousness and anxiety. She appeared in front of him like a vision, dressed for work and looking very nice - a thought he didn’t allow to linger.

“Uh, yes, yes.”, Walter put his face into his hands with an exasperated sigh, “I’m fine. Thanks.”

“If you say so.”, the woman didn’t seem entirely convinced of the authenticity of his obvious lie, “Well, I’ve got to go to work now. If you need to leave or anything, there’s a spare key by the coffee table near the front door so you can get back in if you decide to go out… just so you know I’m not trapping you in here or anything like some sort of Annie Wilkes.”

“That’s good.”, Walter chuckled at her reference (noting that Nari was a well read woman, something he appreciated in the fairer sex), “Have a nice day at work, by the way.”

“Thanks. I’ll see you later, Walter.” Nari waved her goodbyes as she left the apartment. He watched as she left, returning her wave with a slight grin. He had already grown rather fond of her upbeat nature, perhaps more than he was willing to admit. 

He waited a few minutes after she left, sitting in his chair as if unsure if she would suddenly return. He then got up, looking around hesitantly, only to see a few felines making yellowy eye contact with him. It was safe, he had to remind himself - no need to sneak around. It’s not like the animals were going to rat him out. It would take some getting used to being away from the vaguely authoritarian marriage he was used to.

Walter got up from his seat and strolled over to the front door, where he noticed a mahogany end table, on top of which was an amber candy dish containing a keyring, guarded by two Beanie Baby plush dogs. He chuckled seeing the stuffed animals - it seemed to suit Nari to have them about. Taking the keys and sliding them into his pants pocket, he slipped out the front door, making sure to lock it once on the other side. From there, it was a short stroll down a staircase to the sparsely-populated parking lot - quite fortunate as it was easy to find his vehicle.

As the man sat in his car, engine rumbling idly, he let out a sigh. He knew he would have to stop back home at some point - after all, a good majority of his belongings were still left unattended in the suburbs - especially a change of clothes, which he was in dire need of. Backing out of the parking lot and heading down to the RV, he decided it could wait   
until after the cook, considering Jesse wouldn’t mind - he had seen the young man wear the same outfit for three weeks at a time, after all. 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Walt at last arrived in the desert, his car was rapidly approached by a disgruntled-looking Jesse, clad in his laboratory attire, arms outstretched as if to say ‘what gives’? 

Walter raised his hands in a manner of giving up, sighing as he got out of the vehicle. He had, admittedly, arrived later than was typical for him. After all, driving out to the middle of nowhere from a new location was not exactly a simple task, not even accounting for how harried his mind had recently become.

“Yo, Mr. White.”, Jesse followed his mentor as he gathered his lab wear, “What gives, man? You’re usually riding my ass about being on time, and here you are, what, an hour late?”

“I’m sorry, Jesse.”, the middle-aged man stripped down to his stark white briefs, “It won’t happen again. Let’s just focus on the cook.”

Jesse was silent as Walter finished dressing, the both of them entering the recreational vehicle as if no wrongs had been made. The cook went well, with few words being uttered aside from technical matters and the occasional ‘thanks’. After the work had been done, each man settled outside to watch the desert sun sink beneath the flat, dry land, sitting in lawn chairs, both clutching a bottle of now luke-warm beer.

“Mr. White?”, Jesse at last broke the lack of conversation, his gaze diverting frequently between the ground and the older man, “Is everything alright?”

Walter was somewhat jarred by his younger partner’s concern - genuine. He could hear it in his voice, the way it somewhat faltered and cracked with each syllable. Was it that obvious he was in distress that even a junkie could pick up on it? Nonetheless, there was an undeniable pang of warmth in his chest at the thought that someone had noticed how adrift he had been - aside from Nari, of course.

“I’m fine, Jesse.”, Walter stared at the purpling sky, “I’ve just, uh, had some changes in my life. I’ve… I’ve left my wife.”

The words came out faster than he had intended. He snapped his jaw shut, instantly regretting diverting that sensitive information to Jesse. He stared at the dust beneath his chair and accumulating on his shoes, hearing only the distant yip of a coyote. Nevertheless, he sensed a presence on the side of his head: a hand held upright, presented by an eagerly grinning Pinkman.

“Yo, man, that’s awesome.”, Jesse seemed disproportionately overjoyed, “You finally dumped that bitch. Good for you.”

Walter remained silent, ignoring his partner’s offer of a high five, to which he hurriedly retracted his arm, frowning.

“Sorry. I guess that was a little insensitive. Must be rough.” the young man seemed ashamed. Walter hadn’t intended to shame him - after all, his former student was still a newcomer to the complex world of relationships that consisted beyond one night stands in shady motels.

“It’s alright.”, Walter assured his partner, “It’ll just take some getting used to. I should actually be getting home. I need to pick up a few things.”

“She put you on the street? Damn.”

“No, I left. On my own accord. I just couldn’t handle it anymore.”

“So, uh, where are you staying?”

Walter went momentarily quiet. Were he to reveal his current accommodations to Jesse, he knew the response would be… immature. Yet he was astute enough to know that silence would only breed more wonder.

“I’m staying with a friend.”

“A friend?”, Jesse shuffled in his seat, “Who’s this friend?”

“A very nice woman by the name of Nari.” Walter admitted, hoping the dwindling light would conceal the reddening of his face as he uttered her name.

“A nice woman? Is this why you left? Mr. White, you dog! I didn’t know you had it in you! You’re a player!”

“It’s not like that!”, Walter snapped, somewhat more defensively than he had intended, quickly realizing this and settling his voice to its typical mellowed tone, “She’s just helping me out until I get back on my feet, that’s all.”

“That’s what they all say, man.” Jesse logged back a swig of his beer, tossing the bottle aside.

Walter got up, mind wandering. He didn’t bother to respond to Jesse’s accusation. Truthfully, he wasn’t offended at the insinuations - in a sort of way, it made him feel a sense of pride. A young woman, taking an interest in him? He hadn’t pictured such a thing to be possible. He wasn’t one to admire just any lady. And yet, Nari was special. Truthfully, many times during the cook his mind had wandered to her - how she was doing, if she was alright - it was painfully reminiscent of when he had fallen for Skyler all those years (and crossword puzzles) ago. Nevertheless, he had a family - and his own damaged sense of trust - to keep his feelings in check. What sort of a man would leave his wife, the mother of his two children, for someone cute he had just met at a hardware store? He took a steady breath, rapidly overcome with guilt. He was already in too deep. There was no way to go but further in.


	3. Stews and Surprises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nari gains a little more insight into Walter's life - and is unprepared for the surprise of her life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again, everyone, for reading. Things are getting spicy!

Nari arrived at home after a tiring shift to silence, greeted only by her feline companions. A quick glance at the candy dish revealed the keys to be missing - her new housemate had gone out. Perplexed, but not wanting to appear nosy, she pressed on about her business, beginning to prepare dinner - a stew meal large enough for two, in case he came back hungry. She was mid-way through these preparations when she heard the key turn in its lock, the door opening with its signature creak and letting in a slight current of warm, dry air. Indeed, it was Walter, clutching a suitcase and looking more downtrodden than ever before. He set his belongings down by the door, dropped the keys back into the glass bowl, and sat down on the couch, as if exhausted. Nari watched with concern as he rubbed his eyes, removing his glasses. Something was clearly amiss. She turned the dial on the stove to allow the pot to simmer, going into the living room. It hurt her to see her newfound friend like this - he seemed so nice, yet so troubled. She was always one to care for others, and Walter was no exception.

“Hey there.” she greeted the man gently. He raised his head to look at her, eyes meeting hers, revealing a vacant, vaguely surprised look. It was as if he hadn’t expected her to notice him, nor care. 

“Hello.”, Walter offered the girl a weak smile, “Almost didn’t see you there.”

“Well, here I am.”, she sat down at a nearby armchair normally reserved for her feline companions, facing Walter, “Is everything alright? You look worried.”

“I went home to pick up some of my belongings.”, Walter explained with a sigh, “My wife was home. She’s… upset. Understandably.”

“Oh.”, Nari frowned, “Do you want to talk about it? I’m sorry if I’m getting too personal, but… well, it’s up to you.”

“We probably should be getting more personal.”, Walter jested, “After all, I do live here. I’d just hate to drag you into all of this. There’s a lot to take in. It’s been a long time coming our, uh, separation.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”, the woman soothed, “If you don’t mind my asking, what happened, exactly? Only if you feel comfortable sharing, of course.”

Nari felt almost bad for pressing the pained man forth with the details. Nonetheless, he had a point - they were living together now, and it felt like she was harboring a stranger in her own home. If she could somehow help him, now would be the time to find out. She had gotten more invested in the mystery of Walter than she had intended - her curiosity into his conflict perhaps somewhat tinged with recent personal feelings she had developed for the man. 

Walter went silent for what seemed to be an eternity of moments. His gaze had shifted to the floor. Nari felt her heart race - she instantly regretted opening her mouth. A hot blush grazed her face as she, too, shifted her eyes to the scruffy rug underneath her feet.

“There’s a lot to know.”, the man at last spoke, as Nari breathed a sigh of relief, “I guess I should start at the beginning. Well, as close to the beginning as I can manage without keeping you here all night.”

“I’ve got time.”, Nari assured, settling into her seat comfortably, “Go ahead.”

“I guess I should start with the most critical piece of the story. The catalyst for our problems, if you will. I’ll be blunt with you - I was diagnosed with cancer.”

The words rang in Nari’s mind, as if she had been dissociated from reality. The room felt dream-like, surreal, in that moment. It must have been easily apparent, for she was brought back into the conversation by Walter staring intently at her.

“I probably should’ve emphasized that I’m in remission.”, he stated, seeming apologetic, “I didn’t intend to scare you like that, I’m sorry. I should’ve been more specific.”

“No, you’re fine.”, Nari’s heart at last settled, “I just wasn’t expecting that. It’s such an awful disease, I’m sorry you went through that.”

Her hand reached instinctively for Walter’s, a move the man didn’t seem to mind. They shared a laugh as Walter’s hand largely overshadowed Nari’s fine, nimble fingers. 

“Thank you. I appreciate that.”, Walter seemed genuinely appreciative of her kindness, his face tinting pink (much to his chagrin), “Anyways, after my diagnosis, we had… differing views about things. I made some mistakes. I guess we just grew apart. It was a slow process, nothing abrupt or sudden, but it was just as unexpected as if it had reared its ugly head up overnight.”

“Mistakes?”, she questioned aloud, her voice softened to barely a whisper, “I’m sure you didn’t do anything too bad. At least, anything unwarranted. I mean, you had just received life-changing news. Nobody would be rational under those circumstances.”

“You’re right.”, Walter stated, tone low yet blunt, rising up from his seat, “Well, I don’t want to keep you here all night. I smelled something good when I came in - I’d hate for it to get cold.”

“Oh, it’s a stew. Family recipe.”, Nari explained, “Don’t worry, it’s been keeping warm on the stove for a while - would you like a bowl?”

“Sure, if you’d be so kind.”, he strolled the short distance to the table, sitting down comfortably in his now-usual chair, “Thank you very much.”

Nari got her houseguest a bowl, and one for herself. They sat together, yet few words were shared aside from Walter’s praise of her cooking abilities. Nari didn’t mind, in fact, she was rather flattered that he had decided to open up to her, but nonetheless, a nagging feeling persisted in her mind that she still had a lot to learn about Mr. White. 

After the meal, they each settled onto the couch, electing to watch a rerun of Everybody Loves Raymond. It felt very peaceful, and domestic, a rare feeling that had recently become something Nari quite welcomed into her life. As the thirty-minute sitcom gradually turned into hours (‘let’s watch another’, she gleefully suggested), Nari began to feel rather tired. A full day at work had drained her energy, and she was already up past her usual bedtime, no longer bothering to stifle many a yawn or heavy blinks. Falling asleep seemed imminent.

She did not, however, expect to wake up abruptly on Walter’s plaid-sleeved arm. Slightly alarmed, she rose up faster from her slumber as soon as she realized what had happened, face heated with embarrassment.

“How long was I out?” she glanced around, unable to read the clock from her current seat.

“Not long. Just about fifteen minutes.”, Walter explained with a smile, “I didn’t want to wake you. You looked very comfortable.”

“Thank you.”, Nari giggled, “Well, I guess that’s my sign to get to bed. I’ll see you in the morning, Walter. Sleep well.”

“You, too.” Walter got up, beginning to prepare the sofa into his makeshift bed. Nari strolled off to her bedroom, Squeak at her heels. After changing into her pajamas and brushing her teeth, she flopped down onto her bed, pulling the sheets up beyond her chest and snuggling in amongst her animal friends - both real and plush. 

Sleep came quickly to Nari, after a tiring workday, and she slept through the night - only to be awoken startlingly early in the morning by what sounded like voices. It was, unmistakably, Walter’s voice - a byproduct of the apartment’s admittedly rather thin walls. Although evidently attempting to remain quiet judging by his hushed tone, it was the apparent nervous pacing, the sound of footsteps upon the floor, momentarily muffled as they reached the small living room carpet, that perhaps aroused her from her otherwise fitless slumber. Not wishing to be nosy, Nari edged her curiosity aside and wrapped her fluffy pillow around her head, effectively muffling the noise. She was sure there was a rational explanation, that it was nothing to worry about - after all, he had an entire life she knew very little about. Nonetheless, it was difficult for her to get back to sleep - even after the call had apparently ended, casting the home into blissful early morning peace once more.

After an hour’s more rest, Nari got up for good. She conducted her usual routine, readying herself for the day, feeding her pets, and making breakfast for herself and Walter - this time some scrambled eggs and toast. It wasn’t long before the plates were set out and the man had joined her at the table for the morning meal - albeit looking rather tired, perhaps from the early morning wake up call.

“How did you sleep?” Nari decided to remain tactical in her questioning of him, not wanting her curiosity to seem terribly obvious.

“To be honest with you, I’ve had better rest.”, Walter started with a sigh, “Truthfully, my nerves kept me up most of the night.”

“Nerves? About what?”

“I still need to pick up a few items from home.”, he admitted, “I wasn’t able to get everything yesterday. Skyler’s going to ream me for this.”

“I’ll go with you.”, Nari offered, “I don’t have to go in to work until later this afternoon.”

“No, no… I mean, I appreciate the offer, but she’ll go ballistic if she sees an unfamiliar woman with me.”

“I understand that. But what if I were to just wait in the car? You know, for moral support?” Nari brought out her best puppy dog eyes, pleading. She simply really wanted to help him.

“Okay, okay.” Walter at last relented, falling victim to her subtle non-verbal begging. After breakfast, Nari followed the man out to his car. It was her first time seeing his vehicle, and it was, more or less, what she expected - the average suburban middle aged man’s ride. Somehow, its modesty added to his charm as she hopped into the passenger’s seat up front. It was a short while, made to pass faster with a bit of conversation, before they arrived at a picturesque suburban neighborhood. It was quiet and serene, compared to the more bustling apartment complex that Nari was used to. Walter parked the car on the sidewalk near the driveway, presumably to keep covert. He shut off the engine and sat, hands on his lap, visibly reluctant to leave.

“It’ll be okay.”, Nari soothed, “I’ll be here for you the entire time. Just, uh, think of something that makes you happy. Go in, get what you need, and get out.”

“Alright. I’ll be quick. Just wait here.” Walter unbuckled his seat belt, and, taking a breath to steel his nerves, strolled up the walkway and knocked upon the front door. Nari, from her seat, kept a close eye upon the situation. There was some shuffling at the windows, from behind the blinds, and then a blonde-haired woman, presumably the Skyler her companion had been so dreading, opened the door, a baby on her hip. A pang of sorrow crossed Nari’s chest. She knew Walter had kids, but she didn’t expect them to be so young. 

The man and the woman spoke for a few moments, and while Nari was unable to hear what they were saying, judging by their movements and facial expressions, it had not been a happy discussion. Nonetheless, after some arguing, Walter was allowed in, passing by the woman as she lingered in the doorway. Nari was gazing around, taking in all that was suburbia - surveying the driveway and the numerous plants, the similar houses, an elderly woman strolling by - when an eerie feeling crept upon her, making the hair on her arms stand on end. While it seemed straight out of a horror movie, there was a non-paranormal explanation: Skyler’s icy blue eyes staring directly at her.


	4. High-Heeled Hijinks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nari acts on her unhappy feelings towards Skyler.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize in advance for the second-hand cringe you may receive from reading the title. It was just the first thing that came to mind.

Time seemed to slow down the moment Nari made eye contact with Mrs. White. How had she seen her? It was as if the woman had the vision of an eagle spying upon a hare. Nari frantically looked around, realizing Walter had long since disappeared into the house. Fortunately, Skyler didn’t approach - her jaw agape, she lingered in the doorway, gaze alternating from the car to the floor in equal measure. Her heart began to race - not for herself, but for Walter. He was certainly going to be in trouble, just as he had feared, and she felt helpless. She feared intervening would make it worse, and that was the absolute last thing she wanted. Walter had been through enough stress in the short time she had known him.

The man himself soon appeared in Nari’s view, clutching two duffel bags, one in each hand, entering the home’s foyer. Skyler, in an instant, turned on her heels, beginning to presumably yell at Walter. While Nari was unable to hear the exact words, she cringed. This was the absolute worst this could’ve gone. She began to feel bad for insisting she must tag along - but how was she to know Skyler would spot her? 

Walter grimaced, evidently shouting a few choice words of his own, before pushing forth, keeping a close grip upon his bags. He opened the passenger side door of the car with more force than was usual, tossing the bags in and slamming it shut. He hurriedly got into the driver’s seat, the force of him closing the door reverberating throughout the entire car, shaking the vehicle - and Nari. It alarmed the young woman, as she had seen him typically to be gentle, even sensitive at times. This was an entirely new, frightening side to Walter. He turned the car on, revving up the engine and beginning to back out of the driveway in aggravated silence. Skyler threw up her one unoccupied arm defiantly, face contorted into an expression of utter disappointment, before going back inside the house. Nari felt her eyes water as she got one last glimpse of their baby - evidently in tears, its wails faintly audible over the commotion of the car backing out. 

The drive back to the apartment was a silent one. Walter didn’t look at Nari. Instead, he kept his gaze on the road ahead, visage adorned with a neutral expression - his superficial calmness betrayed by his visibly white-knuckled grip on the steering wheel. Nari knew better than to prod him in this state, as much as she yearned to know what had been said between the now-disgraced couple. 

Without a single word spoken, they arrived back at the apartment complex. They strolled up the stairs together solemnly, Nari unlocking the door and allowing Walter through, where he promptly set down his bags by the end table. 

“Sorry you had to see that.” he stated, voice flat and monotone, rife with a sense of displeasure. 

“No, it’s fine. It was my fault. I shouldn’t have come along.” Nari felt her eyes water slightly. She knew that harsh words had been said about her - even if Walter was too polite to mention it.

“Don’t blame yourself, Nari.”, Walter assured, stepping forth to place a reassuring hand on her shoulder, “Nobody could’ve predicted it, I mean, who knew she had such great vision? They ought to hire her at NASA - she could see Saturn if she wanted to without a telescope.” He finished his words with a chuckle, to which Nari laughed as well. It felt nice to have a light-hearted moment amidst the tension, even with his forced joke. Nonetheless, Nari still had a myriad of questions rounding her mind.

“If you don’t mind my asking… what exactly happened?”, she blurted out, “I mean, I saw some of it, and I know it was because of me, but… what did she say?”

“It’s nothing to be concerned about.” Walter attempted to deflect her curiosity.

“Don’t worry about hurting me. I can handle it.” the woman stared up at Walter, craning her neck - looking quite defiant, even with their vast difference in height.

“Alright, well.”, Walter began with a sigh, clearly not one to go against her admirably headstrong nature, “To summarize her… rant, she accused me of having an affair with you - which, truthfully, she seems to have always expected - amongst a slew of insults aimed at myself and you. I won’t go into detail on that part. I tried to explain that you’re just a friend, but there’s no getting that idea into her head. She’s always been very stubborn, something I used to find charming, the way she’d always stick up for herself… if only I knew what trouble it’d get me into nowadays.”

“Well, I guess we do look sort of suspect.”, Nari blushed, not at all minding the idea, truthfully, “I mean, it’s not typical that a man and a woman meet at a hardware store and start living together, you know, platonically. But stranger things have happened.”

“You’re right.”, he admitted, “It’s just a whole slew of bad coincidences, all sort of coming together. You shouldn’t have to suffer because of it. It’s my fault, really.”

“Walter! Don’t blame yourself!”, Nari’s tone became more defiant, “It’s… neither of our faults, really. She shouldn’t have reacted the way she did. That could’ve been handled with far less fighting.”

“I won’t argue there.” Walter threw up his hands in agreeance. He sat down on the couch, eyeing the bags particularly. Nari, in the meanwhile, paced about. This Skyler ordeal had stressed her out. Nonetheless, she had more important matters to attend to, as a quick glance at the clock revealed.

“I’ve got to get to work.”, she frowned, “Will you be alright here?”

“Of course.”, Walter grinned, “Have a good day out there.”

“Thanks.” Nari smiled appreciatively, bidding her feline friends and the man goodbye and driving her car out to work. Despite her best attempts to focus on her job, Nari remained distracted (and rather irritated, frankly) by thoughts of Skyler. She had never met someone so surprisingly awful in her life. She looked like the average suburban mother - who would’ve guessed the venom that lied beneath the caring façade? As she rang up item after item, forced pleasantries being exchanged with customers, an idea slowly worked its way into her mind. 

It was one foreign, forbidden - one she knew Walter wouldn’t approve of. Nonetheless, it seemed fitting, even if it was outside of her comfort zone. But she had been pushed - a rare thing, but it seemed Skyler had gone too far. Hurting her feelings, and bringing down an already battered Walter, were just a step too much. She was going to confront Skyler.

However, there were plans to be made first. Skyler was quite an intimidating woman, and, judging by what Nari had seen, much taller than she was. So much so, she might not be able to make eye contact with her as, any proper telling-off should entail. Fortunately, that would be an easy fix. There was a shoe store down the street from her workplace. As soon as her shift ended, she decided a trip would be in order. Certainly Walter wouldn’t mind if she got home a bit later than expected.

The hours ticked on, and Nari nearly raced out the door the minute her shift was over. She hurried to her car, noting it to be 5:30 in the evening. She didn’t want the shoe store to close - nor to arrive at the White family home at a terribly odd hour - both for her own sake and that of the kids. After all, it wasn’t their fault they had inadvertently become involved in the mess that their parents’ relationship had become.

She was now a woman on a mission: tuning out the radio, focusing solely on her target. Much to her delight, the shoe store was still open - albeit looking startlingly empty. She sped by the aisles, making a direct beeline for the women’s shoe section. Her mind racing as she zipped by various brands, surveying the displays - looking for the highest heel she could reasonably manage to still walk in. She wasn’t exactly accustomed to wearing stilettos, but if there was ever an occasion to, now would be it.

After much deliberation, and trying on more than a few pairs, she eventually settled upon a shiny jet black pair of heels. She tested them out on the carpeted aisle, finding them manageable, albeit not super comfortable, to walk in. She figured that was alright, as she’d only need them for this one moment. They didn’t have to be perfect. Checking one final time to ensure they were her size, she placed them in the box and carted them off to the register as if they were a baton in a relay race. After paying, Nari hurried back out to her car, placing the shopping bag on the passenger seat. Now came the difficult part - locating the house in time. Nari was quite familiar with the city, having lived there for most of her life, but the stretch of suburbs the Whites lived in were nothing more than something she passed by on occasion. Wracking her brain, she figured she had a close enough idea of where to go. She was, admittedly, still somewhat nervous about this whole plan - perhaps not being able to find the way would be a sort of sign, a justification that she didn’t need to do this. This would be the determining factor, it seemed.

She drove down the roads, quite a bit of traffic being present, presumably resulting from other people heading home after work. Nari initially drove a portion of the way back to her apartment, seeing as that was where they had driven from last time, meaning this way would be more familiar. Indeed, after turning a corner, she began to recognize certain signs and now-dimly-lit land features that indicated she was nearing the suburbs. 

It seemed all too sudden that she arrived in the now somewhat familiar neighborhood. Taking in a deep breath to ease her quickening heartbeat, she slowed her car to a leisurely cruise’s pace, scanning the houses for their number and any telling foliage or décor. She was able to vividly enough recall details about the home, having had plenty of time to observe it only so many hours ago. Eventually, the unassuming-looking house came into view. Nari parked on the street nearest to the driveway, opening up the shoebox from the bag beside her, removing her previous pair and sliding on the new ones. She then got out - more carefully than usual, regarding her current shoe situation - and made way for the home’s front door, standing upon the welcome mat, staring ahead apprehensively. Hopefully this was the right house.

Nari felt a tilt of queasiness in her gut as she pressed in the doorbell. Despite her nervousness, she couldn’t let it show to Skyler. She had to be confident - a woman like Mrs. White wouldn’t be intimidated by any less. If this was going to work, she was going to have to exude courage. When she recalled how rude the woman had been, and how much she had tormented Walter, this suddenly didn’t seem at all that difficult.

There were a few moments of lingering silence before some shuffling became audible on the other side of the door, in addition to muffled voices. And then, at last, the knob turned, revealing Skyler. She seemed calm enough at first, momentarily not recognizing the gravity of the situation, before her visage contorted to one of perplexity, even surprise.

“Hello.”, Nari crooned in a mock-plying voice, “Do you remember me?”

“Uh, yes.”, Skyler half-shook her head, “Who are you? And what are you doing with my husband?”

“Something you haven’t been doing very well. Taking care of him.” Nari felt glad she had invested in the high heels - allowing her to gaze as menacingly as she could manage into Skyler’s bright blue eyes.

“Oh, so, you’re his girlfriend?”, Skyler looked disapprovingly over Nari, giving her a harsh once-over with a few odd finger movements, flicking her wrist as her tone rose, “Do you understand what you’ve done? He has two children. You’ve ruined our lives. You’ve torn our family apart.”

“First of all, I’m not his girlfriend. We’re just friends. It’s all strictly platonic. Don’t make assumptions.”, Nari sneered, having never recalled being this upset before in her life, the words flowing out now, “If you really cared about your children, and him, you’d be nicer. Instead of pointing the blame at me, work on fixing your relationship. But for now, since you’re, frankly, acting like a bitch, I’ll be telling Walter all about this.”

Nari tensed up as Skyler went silent, beginning to regret her words. Perhaps she was being too harsh. Her anger had just taken over - maybe more bottled up tension had leaked out than intended. 

“Mom? What’s going on?” a young male voice suddenly blurted, to which each woman turned. Nari’s heart sank as she noticed a teenage boy, on crutches, no less - Walter’s elder child.

“Nothing, sweetie.”, Skyler rubbed her hand over her face, “Go check on your sister. I’ll be done in a minute.”

As the boy walked away, disappearing down some indiscriminate hallway, Nari felt even worse. She really had not wanted for the kids to see this. Her throat getting tight, and her eyes watering, she began to regret her decision. What would Walter say about this? She knew he’d find out eventually, one way or another.

“Just… leave us alone from now on. Unless you’re willing to be sensible and not on edge. I don’t know what you two have been through, I understand that much, but I think it’ll be best for everyone involved if tensions cool off a bit. I know I may have made things worse, but I can’t see it linger on like this. You have no idea how much anxiety Walter feels over you. It’s hardly all he ever talks about.” Nari’s words came out rushed, jumbled into sentences, her voice at times wavering. Skyler’s face seemed to soften some.

“I’ll think about it.”, the woman shook her head, “For now, just leave me alone. I don’t want to see you - or Walter, for that matter - for a while.” Without any further words, she closed the door shut - with a considerable amount of force to boot. Nari was left shaking, the breeze from the door slam leaving her with a bit of a chill. She walked back to her car, feeling unusual - as if what had happened was more dream than real life. Nonetheless, she had the high heels on to provide it was reality. Sliding the shoes off, returning them to their box, and placing on her more comfortable flats, she began the drive home. While unaware of what Walter would say, or if she had even made the right decision to act on her anger, one thing was certain in her mind: the Skyler problem had been remedied, if even temporarily.


	5. Cats and Kisses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Walter and Nari's relationship furthers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! This chapter is a bit especially romantic, in light of the occasion.
> 
> As always, thanks for reading and enjoy.

Nari arrived at home, still shaky from the pent-up tension of her outburst around Skyler. She was nervous, deciding that she must tell Walter what had happened - after all, if he heard it later on from Skyler, the woman would no doubt embellish it - and, of course, keeping such a thing secret would look rather suspicious on her own part. Without any further ado, she entered the apartment complex, strolling up the steps and unlocking her door, instantly being greeted by one of her feline friends, whom she stroked upon the head tenderly. Looking around, she found the apartment to be startlingly empty. Walter wasn’t in his usual spot in the living room. She had figured he had gone out, although it was rather late to be about on the town, when a shuffling noise caught her attention. Able to pinpoint it to her bedroom, she hurried in its direction, only to nearly collide with Walter on her way there. 

“Walter!”, she gasped, hand on her chest, “You scared me. I didn’t see you in there.”

“Sorry.”, he frowned, “I heard a bit of an odd noise in the vent, went to check it out. Nothing major, just looked like a piece of lint got stuck in there.”

“Oh.”, Nari nodded, “Sometimes that happens, y’know, with all the fur we have around here.” She hadn’t really heard any noises, but wanted to trust Walter and not press him too hard upon the matter - especially considering what she had to reveal. 

“Indeed, it was a big old fluff ball.”, he held up his hands to estimate the size of the hair wad, “About that big. Anyways, how was work?”

“It was good. Average. Nothing new or special.”, she paused, “But I do have something to tell you. Just to clear the air… in case you hear about it from someone else later.”

Walter’s face tensed visibly, “Go on.”

“What Skyler did, I just… I couldn’t let it go.”, Nari began, hesitant, “I knew I had to talk to her. This is going to sound absolutely crazy, and I apologize in advance if you’ll think less of me, but… I drove by the house after work and told her a few things.”

“Okay.”, Walter clenched his jaw, not wanting to display any overt emotions without knowing the full extent of the situation, “What happened, exactly?”

“Nothing too bad.”, she avoided his gaze, nervousness suddenly returning, “I just let her have a piece of my mind - about how she needs to leave us alone, how we’re not dating, just friends, and… well, that was the majority of it. She was pretty silent, but made it clear she didn’t want to see me anymore. I just… I’m sorry if I made things worse, I just couldn’t let it go. What she did was wrong, Walter, and you know it.”

The man glanced down at the floor, shifting slightly in place. Nari began to feel even worse as hot tears pricked behind her eyes. Apparently her tears were more visible than she had realized, as she soon felt herself in a warm embrace, Walter’s arms around her. He hugged her close, gently rubbing her back as she did her best to hold back sobs, tears no doubt staining the front of his long-sleeved shirt.

“It’s okay.”, he spoke softly, as if to a child, “I’m not mad. I promise. I’m honestly rather impressed that you did that - it was brave, she’s not always easy to talk to. I can only imagine her expression when you showed up.” He chuckled, shaking his head, to which Nari couldn’t hold back a bit of a giggle of her own. 

“She was very surprised. I guess she didn’t think I had it in me.” Nari at last parted from the embrace, face heated. The tension she had felt was now melted away, replaced by a warmth, a peculiar sort of happiness from the hug she had received. Glancing up at Walter, she noted that his face seemed to tint pink some - perhaps it was just her imagination, or perhaps he, too, was blushing.

“We’ll have to see how things work out.”, he gave a half-shrug, seeming nonchalant, “I’ll handle anything she may throw our way. It’s our problem, after all, I wouldn’t want you to become furtherly entangled in that mess.”

“Alright. But never be afraid to ask for help… I can do more than just provide a room, y’know? You mean a lot to me, Walter.”

“That’s very sweet of you.” Walter’s face seemed to redden even more as he went silent. 

“Anyways.”, Nari interjected, hurriedly noticing the situation had become awkward, “Have you had anything to eat? I know it’s a bit late.”

“No.”, Walter shook his head, “I’m afraid not. I was waiting for you, to be honest.”

“Aw, you didn’t have to wait.”, Nari felt somewhat bad for delaying him, “You must be starving. How about we get something?”

“Sounds fine to me. Spare you a night of cooking - although I will miss your meals. You could be a chef, were you to want to get into it.”

“Thank you. I’m not sure I’m that good, now!”, she giggled, “It’s just something I’ve picked up over the years, is all. Anyways, where would you like to go? I’m not terribly picky, I promise.”

“I know a diner that shouldn’t be too far from here - open 24 hours. Pretty good food, too. What do you say? We can take my car.”

“I won’t argue there. I trust your tastes, after all.” Nari smiled, to which they left, heading out to Walter’s vehicle. The sky was now pitch black, the only light being from the few cars still on the road and the streetlamps, reflecting across the dark asphalt of the road. Walter seemed to know where he was going - Nari figured he must have really liked this place - either for food or convenience. After a fortunately short drive, the man parked outside of an average-looking diner. It was clean, but nothing exactly out of the ordinary. The greenly-tinted fluorescent light flickered inside, a few tables being occupied by tired-looking couples and older men. The pair walked in together, choosing a booth near the entrance. The menus, laminated plastic, were already set on the table. 

Nari scanned through the offerings, having never eaten at this establishment before, “What are you thinking of getting? I take it you know the good stuff here.”

“Well, that would depend on your taste.”, Walter’s gaze flicked up from the laminated paper to meet Nari’s eyes, “I’m personally very fond of the burger they serve here.”

“A burger sounds good to me. I think I’ll go with that.”, she nodded approvingly, “Is that your favorite food?” As she asked, it occurred to her just how little she knew about him - despite their closeness. While their personalities naturally seemed to mesh, she truthfully wanted to get to know him more than what he was letting out gradually. As long as the questions were innocuous, he certainly wouldn’t mind.

“My favorite food?”, Walter placed his hand on his chin, as if truly mulling it over, “Well, it would depend. For dinner or lunch, a burger would be up there. But all time? I love a good breakfast. Pancakes, bacon, eggs… the whole nine yards. I guess that’s my favorite. I know, it’s not just one food, but who can really choose?”

Nari laughed at his comments, “That’s a good choice. Perhaps I can make you a breakfast at some point - a big one, to your heart’s content.”

“I would very much like that.”, Walter grinned, “It’s been a while since I’ve had one. Now, what about you?”

“It depends.”, Nari shrugged, “I’m pretty flexible. I like a lot of different stuff. Pasta, Asian, Mexican… but, well, especially desserts. Anything sweet, I’m almost guaranteed to enjoy.”

“Sweet… just like you.” Walter teased, to which Nari blushed. She would have continued their light flirting, however, the waitress arrived, a rather drained-looking middle-aged woman, asking if they were ready to order. They placed their requests for food and drink, and then the lady was off, heading back to the kitchen - surprisingly bright and bustling amongst the otherwise dull diner, muffled clangs and barked orders occasionally coming through the generally quiet space. Nari decided now was the perfect chance to get to know Walter some more - after all, they were finally in a (reasonably) private place, and he seemed relaxed.

“So, what do you do? Like, for a living?”, Nari chuckled, “I feel like I’m on a first date or something.” Her face flushed as she finished her sentence - it was an idea she didn’t mind entertaining.

“Well, we’re learning about one another - it’s the least I owe you.”, Walter sat back in his seat, the torn red cushion of the bench meeting his torso, “I’m sort of… between jobs at the moment. But I used to teach high school - chemistry, to be exact.”

“Chemistry.”, Nari let the word roll off her tongue, “It fits you. That explains why you’re so smart.”

“Thank you.”, Walter’s face flushed red, noticeable even in the poor lighting, “You’re really too kind. Say, did I ever tell you about Grey Matter?”

As their food arrived, the duo chatted until the rest of the diner had cleared out, empty dishes long since taken away and the hours until early morning flowing by. They had so much in common, and found it so fun to talk to one another, that time seemed irrelevant. It was like a reality of its own - until that such reality was shattered by the waitress appearing tableside, a grimace upon her worn visage.

“Y’all gonna pay?”, she drawled, “We’ve gotta get this table cleaned up and ready for the next customers.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”, Walter seemed taken aback at her comment, having almost been lost in his own world with Nari, “Yes, we’ll be on our way.”

The waitress slapped the check down onto the table and turned away. Walter and Nari’s hands met as they both grabbed for it.

“Let me cover it.”, Walter attempted to gently remove her fingers from the bill, “It’s the least I can do. I mean, you’re letting me stay at your home rent-free. I can give you this much.”

“Alright, if you insist.”, Nari threw her hands up, “But just this once.” She watched as Walter began to pay, motioning for the waiter to return. She was touched by his gesture, seeing as in his current state of unemployment it was probably difficult for him to come by much money these days - especially considering his former position wasn’t exactly a high earning one. After the waitress had collected the check and her tip, and said a begrudging goodbye, the two left, still all smiles and giggles - almost unusually happy. It was a perfect night as they drove back home.

Once back at Nari’s apartment, they bid one another goodnight and returned to their separate beds. Nari was still giddy with happiness, face flushed - she had so much more she wanted to tell Walter, and so much more she wanted to do… and yet, tonight had been so perfect, she chose not to push her luck with something even as simple as a chaste kiss. After all, he was fresh out of a relationship - and that didn’t exactly breed welcomeness, despite the pleasant nature of their evening together. She changed into her pajamas and went to bed, falling asleep quickly, thoughts of Mr. White abound in her mind.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next morning, Walter awoke with a yawn, stretching his arms out over his head. Grabbing his glasses from the nearby table, he sat up, socked feet reaching the carpet. He was somewhat sore, as repeated sleeps on a sofa at his age would do, but nonetheless he was grateful to have a place to rest and wasn’t about to complain anytime soon. After all, it was nothing walking about wouldn’t cure. And, indeed, he certainly had some plans for the day.

They had come to him last night. As he had mulled the evening’s events over prior to drifting off to sleep, he thought about how paying for the meal was such a small token of appreciation. Nari had done so much for him - at the time, a total stranger, nonetheless - and he wanted to make it up to her. Even now, however, he hadn’t a clue as to what to do. It had to be something special, something she’d enjoy above all else. Chin in his hand, which rested on his leg, he thought, staring blankly ahead when a feline strolled silently into his frame of vision. And then the idea suddenly dawned on him. 

It was a novel concept, one he had never seen in person, but rather had read about in a magazine detailing local startups. At first, he had laughed at it, shared it with his family, finding it such an unusual idea - and now, this venture was the perfect place. Of course, he’d have to track the location down, as it had now long since slipped his memory. For now, he would just have to run the idea by Nari - once she woke up, that was.

“Thank you.” he jestingly praised the cat with a whisper, now at his feet, as he ran a hand along her silky back. It was then that Nari appeared, as if summoned via her pet, still clad in her pajamas. Walter smiled at her, glad that she was comfortable around him - after all, Skyler would rarely let him see her first thing in the morning.

“Bonding with Squeak, I see?” she smiled, bending down to give the furry creature a few cheek scratches.

“I am, indeed.”, Walter sat back, “She’s a good kitty… anyways.”, he paused, “Do you have the day off today, by chance?”

“I do, why?”

“I wanted to do something. Well, take you somewhere. I heard about it a while back, and it seems right up your alley.”

“Oh… really? Is it a surprise, or can you tell me?”

“Well, I’m going to have to tell you, seeing as I haven’t got much of a clue where it is, exactly.”, Walter admitted with a self-deprecating chuckle, “And, of course, only if you’re up for it, but, uh, it’s this place called a cat cafe. Like a regular cafe, food and drinks, everything, but there’s cats in there that you can pet and play with. If I recall correctly from what I read, some are even up for adoption.”

Nari went silent for a moment, her eyes wide and her grin almost inhumanly large as she engulfed Walter in a hug.

“You’ve got to be kidding me!”, she squealed, “I’ve always wanted to go there, I’ve just never had the time. I drive by it all the time!”

Walter felt himself warm as he was in her embrace, putting an arm around her himself. Seeing her reaction made him beyond happy - it was such a simple thing, and yet, she appreciated it so much. Her exuberance was something he found adorable - with how close they had become recently, and especially following the Skyler drama, he figured it was okay to not repress his more affectionate thoughts about his friend - after all, it was innocent, and he figured he had deserved this much. It was normal, certainly, for even married couples to occasionally feel affection for others - it was only human. You’d have to have a heart of stone to not feel some sort of warmth around someone so jovial and sweet.

And then, he felt it - a quick peck to the cheek. She had kissed him, innocent and brief. Nonetheless, it was enough to get his heart racing. He hadn’t pictured a young woman to take an interest in some washed up former chemistry teacher like him. As color rushed to his face, he stared at her, overtaken with a childishly giddy smile. Nari was simply giggling, visibly flustered herself. 

And without thinking, swept up in the moment, he pressed a kiss onto her lips.


End file.
